2018 SWEDEN POSITION PAPER
University of Alaska Anchorage
Kimberly J. H. Pace, kjpace@alaska.edu
As one of the earliest members of the United Nations, the Delegation of Sweden are proud and pleased to attend and actively participate in this year’s United Nations conference. This year’s topic of Global Cooperation Under Siege is of particular importance to the nation of Sweden. Given our lengthy history and reputation of neutrality and international collaboration, Sweden is prepared to play a vital role in global cooperation between nations and peoples. Our contributions to the Security Council (SC), International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), United Nations Environmental Program (UNEP), United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR), and United Nations Office of Drugs and Crime (UNODC) symbolizes Sweden’s dedication and commitment to the crucial cause of global cooperation.
As a privileged member of the Security Council our two main priorities are preventing conflict and combating global terrorism with a strategy that benefits nations that are under threat. We hope to work with everyone in a way that will set a precedent for future conferences by focusing on peace for all nations. For the nations that are being struck with civil war and terrorism, we want to work our hardest in finding a way to end these horrific events and to help those who are seeking refuge that have lost everything.
As one of the leaders of the world we know climate change is affecting every nation on Earth and the problems associated with it will continue to worsen. Therefore, Sweden has shown full support of historical environmental resolutions like the Paris Climate Accord, the Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer, and most importantly the Aarhus Convention. These agreements have passed with near full support within this governing body and have shown the future generations that there is promise for halting the dangers associated with climate change. Sweden also encourages that other countries join us in placing targeted taxes and sanctions on international/multinational corporations who violate a specific allowance of harmful acts on the environment. Our Scandinavian nation is one of the leading bodies on progressive “green taxes” that have helped our country become one of the lowest carbon emitters in the world. Sweden itself has been rated one of the most environmentally sustainable countries on the planet. That has solely been achieved through progressive policies passed within our parliament and we hope to do the same by bringing a similar resolution to the floor in front of the General Assembly.
As member of the United Nations High Commission on Refugees we aim to provide and promote aid for this dire crisis. Sweden is among the top 10 donor nations for the UNHCR as of the 30 th of January 2018 and is ranked 3 rd per capita. For the last six years Sweden has donated the most unrestricted funds to the UNHCR. Our migration policy covers asylum and immigration policies, returns, support for returns, repatriation, and the connection between immigration and development. In 2014 only Germany received more asylum seekers than Sweden. We received 142,207 immigrants in 2015 and 163,005 in 2016. We saw the greatest increase in foreign born population from 16.8% in 2015 to 18.3% in 2016. The Swedish asylum system is grappling with the dramatic increase of seekers. Prime Minister Stefan Löfven has stated “Sweden is ready and will act for a new asylum system in the EU that is based on equal distribution and in which asylum is sought in the EU – not in an individual country”. We support proposals aimed at evening out the distribution of asylum seekers and enhancing harmonization in the area.
As the representative of the Swedish Delegation in the United Nations office of Drugs and Crime, our goal is to further expand on our successful Drug and Crime Prevention strategies that were implemented in Sweden with much success. In February 2007, the UNODC published a report titled, “Sweden’s Successful Drug Policy: A Review of the Evidence.” The report established best practices guide on how to explain the success that Sweden had in establishing a successful drug policy program. Sweden established measures such as a progressively restrictive policy, including the 1969 ten-point anti-drugs program. Overall life-time prevalence of drug use among students declined slightly from 9 per cent in 1999 to 8 per cent in 2003 and was thus - among 35 countries and areas investigated - the fifth lowest in Europe. We wish to replicate our success on drugs and crime in the EU, as well as developing third world nations. These areas include the continent of Africa, as well as the middle east. Of particular interest are countries such as Afghanistan, in which drug dealers are using farmers as a proxy for drug manufacturing, and then using the proceeds to finance terrorism.
Sweden is ready to work with other nations to strengthen the global community as a whole through peace and care. We hope to support other nations in their efforts to improve the world, and hope other nations with join us to do the same.